I can comfort myself with the fact that the card is always paid off, I guess.

That's certainly important.

$3k/month would wipe me out. I couldn't pay for anything, let alone my credit card payment, which is why I thought the offer was ridiculous. Especially since they probably have a pretty good idea how much I make.

I put pretty much everything on rewards credit cards (which are paid off every month), and the total hits $3k quite regularly and easily

User ticket: "There's a report out in group XXXXX that needs to go to the sales manager for that region. The report is called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Uh, there's actually 8 reports in that group called DAILYSALESXX with different numbers at the end. Which one does he need?"User: "I told you, it's called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Yes, but which one? I don't know how those sales regions are split up, so I don't know which one he needs. Can you give me more info?"User: "I TOLD YOU, IT'S CALLED DAILYSALES-something. WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

By law, any patent you create as an employee of a company is owned by the company. I would assume that this is limited to things you do while at work. But given the US legal system I would not count on it.

Every patent I've done at a company, I was asked to sign a document that assigns the patent to the company. It doesn't appear to be automatic. I suppose if I ever refused to sign they would fire me and then sue me.

There have been cases (DSC/Alcatel vs Brown) where companies consider your non-work-related ideas their own. How far they get with that probably depends on any IP agreements one signs and how rabid their lawyers are.

User ticket: "There's a report out in group XXXXX that needs to go to the sales manager for that region. The report is called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Uh, there's actually 8 reports in that group called DAILYSALESXX with different numbers at the end. Which one does he need?"User: "I told you, it's called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Yes, but which one? I don't know how those sales regions are split up, so I don't know which one he needs. Can you give me more info?"User: "I TOLD YOU, IT'S CALLED DAILYSALES-something. WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

They are both paying for a 1.0 time at roughly 82.5k and similar vacation pay but the new one is offering a yearly 5% bonus and averaging 3% yearly raises which is more than I will get, as I have hit the top of the current pay grid.

IMHO, don't do it for the money unless you really need it to put your affairs in order (debt etc), especially if you're doing school at the moment.

A better reason would be long-term/career. If you think it'd substantially improve your chances down the road, that's a better reason than the extra money now. My $0.02.

That's a good point. It's not really about the money, but if I am going to change jobs I want to at least make it better on paper. I've pretty much decided that if my current job can do .75 I will stay as aside from the annoyances my remote work from home lifestyle is pretty damned awesome.

And the higher ups at my current job have said NO YUO! to increasing time unless I am willing to move back to the town they're based in. Which I'm not willing to do. So they don't seem willing to bargain at all, and these new guys seem quite eager to get me. Fuck I'm stressing out about this. I'm printing out all of the relevant docs and I'm going to go over them and compare them.

have you considered doing some temp agency work for the other 50% of your time?

Ewww... Not really, if I'm going to work full time and not work it all for my current job I might as well take the new one. It's not a bad job, hell it's actually a pretty good job, I'm just emotionally attached to my current job. It's become somewhat obvious that they are not attached to me though, so that makes my decision easier.

I have some things I need to nail down before I sign anything but it's looking like I'm going to start a new job soon enough and get a shiny new job title.

By law, any patent you create as an employee of a company is owned by the company. I would assume that this is limited to things you do while at work. But given the US legal system I would not count on it.

Every patent I've done at a company, I was asked to sign a document that assigns the patent to the company. It doesn't appear to be automatic. I suppose if I ever refused to sign they would fire me and then sue me.

There have been cases (DSC/Alcatel vs Brown) where companies consider your non-work-related ideas their own. How far they get with that probably depends on any IP agreements one signs and how rabid their lawyers are.

If its not in your employment agreement and you don't assign the patent to them, I think the presumption is that the patent is yours although they would have a strong case to sue you for it if you invented it on work time or if you invented it in the course of your normal paid work. I think the law varies by state too on whether they can require you to sign or enforce an agreement about assigning them the rights to things you invent on your own time.

User ticket: "There's a report out in group XXXXX that needs to go to the sales manager for that region. The report is called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Uh, there's actually 8 reports in that group called DAILYSALESXX with different numbers at the end. Which one does he need?"User: "I told you, it's called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Yes, but which one? I don't know how those sales regions are split up, so I don't know which one he needs. Can you give me more info?"User: "I TOLD YOU, IT'S CALLED DAILYSALES-something. WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

"There are 37 different DAILYSALES reports. Which one does he need?"

Give them all.

"[assistant x] asked for a sales report but couldn't specify which one. Here's all of them."

That only works if they're normally allowed to get all that information. If there's something in there that they shouldn't see (someone else's reports, maybe) then just dumping it all on them might be a career-limiting move for cwbecker.

User ticket: "There's a report out in group XXXXX that needs to go to the sales manager for that region. The report is called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Uh, there's actually 8 reports in that group called DAILYSALESXX with different numbers at the end. Which one does he need?"User: "I told you, it's called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Yes, but which one? I don't know how those sales regions are split up, so I don't know which one he needs. Can you give me more info?"User: "I TOLD YOU, IT'S CALLED DAILYSALES-something. WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

Call them on the phone, or (even better) walk to their desk and ask them which one they need. Make a note of the interaction in the ticket if you need it there, but it's much easier and more efficient to deal with this sort of bullshit behavior in person.

User ticket: "There's a report out in group XXXXX that needs to go to the sales manager for that region. The report is called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Uh, there's actually 8 reports in that group called DAILYSALESXX with different numbers at the end. Which one does he need?"User: "I told you, it's called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Yes, but which one? I don't know how those sales regions are split up, so I don't know which one he needs. Can you give me more info?"User: "I TOLD YOU, IT'S CALLED DAILYSALES-something. WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

Call them on the phone, or (even better) walk to their desk and ask them which one they need. Make a note of the interaction in the ticket if you need it there, but it's much easier and more efficient to deal with this sort of bullshit behavior in person.

Send them all DailySales reports with two digits at the end. That's what the wildcard specified. Any issues with getting undesired reports should be referred to documentation showing what the wildcards mean.

User ticket: "There's a report out in group XXXXX that needs to go to the sales manager for that region. The report is called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Uh, there's actually 8 reports in that group called DAILYSALESXX with different numbers at the end. Which one does he need?"User: "I told you, it's called something like DAILYSALES??."Me: "Yes, but which one? I don't know how those sales regions are split up, so I don't know which one he needs. Can you give me more info?"User: "I TOLD YOU, IT'S CALLED DAILYSALES-something. WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

Call them on the phone, or (even better) walk to their desk and ask them which one they need. Make a note of the interaction in the ticket if you need it there, but it's much easier and more efficient to deal with this sort of bullshit behavior in person.

Several problems: 1. They don't actually know which report they want, even though it's their job to know this and we go through this same discussion every time a new salesman is hired.2. They're 3 states away, so I can't walk down to see them. 3. It's sales reports, so giving one sales manager's reports to a manager in a different region is a huge no-no.

In the end I was able to narrow it down to one of two reports. The user gave me their territory number so I was able to scan through those two and pick out which one contained their number. All in all, what should have taken 5 minutes ended up wasting about 2 hours of my the company's time. We've got a lot of spoiled users in this company, who think it's IT's job to know (and do) their job when they don't feel like putting in the effort.

Despite the fact that Toxic Person (TP) had negotiated a departure plan which allowed her to receive an undisclosed severance package and for her to remain until this Friday, she finally managed to piss off enough people that she was escorted out of the building Tuesday night.

Among TP's last acts were issuing over 200 amended T4s for variances that averaged around five dollars and sending out notices to employees without letting anyone know she was doing it...not even the CFO who she was ostensibly reporting to (because she refused to deal with her actual boss).

The forms didn't have to be sent out because the company was willing to reimburse the Canada Revenue Agency for any tax variances, thereby sparing those employees the necessity of having to re-file...but now a lot of people are up in arms over it, which I wouldn't be surprised to find out was TP's plan all along.

The email regarding her departure (which was not sent to my wife or her manager, most likely because those two would have gone into the CFO's office and puked on his desk) was as follows:

For those of you who may not have heard, [TP], Senior Payroll Administrator for Canada will be leaving [COMPANY] to pursue other opportunities. TP’s last day was originally set for this Friday, but being as efficient as she is, she completed her work early so her last day will be today. We thank TP for her valuable contributions during this second “stint” at COMPANY* and wish her every success in her future endeavors!

Ah, the "future endeavours" line...I remember that well from EA, but there it meant that the person was booted out the door - not sure if it means the same thing where my wife works.

*Yes, TP had worked there before and left after having a run-in with her then-boss, then returned later to be all chummy with said boss; said boss was fired and new (current) boss was hired, at which point TP went into full-on batshit antagonistic mode.

I have some things I need to nail down before I sign anything but it's looking like I'm going to start a new job soon enough and get a shiny new job title.

Well, sounds like you've thought it through. Good luck and hope everything works out!

Thanks, I've spent a ton of hours thinking this through. Part of my reasoning is that I am starting to lose social skills by being home alone all day working at a computer on my own and I worry it will definitely negatively affect me long term.

Also I called the Technical Institute and they offer the degree program through evening courses so I'm set.

Despite the fact that Toxic Person (TP) had negotiated a departure plan which allowed her to receive an undisclosed severance package and for her to remain until this Friday, she finally managed to piss off enough people that she was escorted out of the building Tuesday night.

Among TP's last acts were issuing over 200 amended T4s for variances that averaged around five dollars and sending out notices to employees without letting anyone know she was doing it...not even the CFO who she was ostensibly reporting to (because she refused to deal with her actual boss).

The forms didn't have to be sent out because the company was willing to reimburse the Canada Revenue Agency for any tax variances, thereby sparing those employees the necessity of having to re-file...but now a lot of people are up in arms over it, which I wouldn't be surprised to find out was TP's plan all along.

The email regarding her departure (which was not sent to my wife or her manager, most likely because those two would have gone into the CFO's office and puked on his desk) was as follows:

For those of you who may not have heard, [TP], Senior Payroll Administrator for Canada will be leaving [COMPANY] to pursue other opportunities. TP’s last day was originally set for this Friday, but being as efficient as she is, she completed her work early so her last day will be today. We thank TP for her valuable contributions during this second “stint” at COMPANY* and wish her every success in her future endeavors!

Ah, the "future endeavours" line...I remember that well from EA, but there it meant that the person was booted out the door - not sure if it means the same thing where my wife works.

*Yes, TP had worked there before and left after having a run-in with her then-boss, then returned later to be all chummy with said boss; said boss was fired and new (current) boss was hired, at which point TP went into full-on batshit antagonistic mode.

3) The rare, but always interesting, "Effective immediately, NAME is no longer an employee of Electronic Arts and is no longer allowed in the building." You had to do something REALLY interesting to rate that email (threatening/assaulting someone, exposing yourself, stealing IP).

3) The rare, but always interesting, "Effective immediately, NAME is no longer an employee of Electronic Arts and is no longer allowed in the building." You had to do something REALLY interesting to rate that email (threatening/assaulting someone, exposing yourself, stealing IP).

I find the stuff about the "efficiency" interesting. Kind of goes beyond the normal corporate-speak that goes into these e-mails. The other time I've seen the terse "future endeavours" message is when someone leaves to join a competitor. Although in those cases, usually a personal message to friends in the company is sent immediately afterwards or a day or two later from a personal account.

3) The rare, but always interesting, "Effective immediately, NAME is no longer an employee of Electronic Arts and is no longer allowed in the building." You had to do something REALLY interesting to rate that email (threatening/assaulting someone, exposing yourself, stealing IP).

This is the formula my companies have used, except that "future endeavors" can mean they're leaving for a competitor.

I have some things I need to nail down before I sign anything but it's looking like I'm going to start a new job soon enough and get a shiny new job title.

Well, sounds like you've thought it through. Good luck and hope everything works out!

Thanks, I've spent a ton of hours thinking this through. Part of my reasoning is that I am starting to lose social skills by being home alone all day working at a computer on my own and I worry it will definitely negatively affect me long term.

Also I called the Technical Institute and they offer the degree program through evening courses so I'm set.

You'll make it work for you. No sense in stressing out between two choices when neither of them is even "wrong". Might as well be excited about the new opportunity

Ewww... Not really, if I'm going to work full time and not work it all for my current job I might as well take the new one.

Except that you'd get paid more. It really is a black mark against the prospective new employeer that they expect you to do double the work at half the rate.

They don't, I am working 4 hours a day for 4 hours pay while I will be working 8 hours for 8 hours pay in the new job. The technical pay scale is similar but I only make half of it at my current job. So literally 41k vs 82k right now is the comparison. Also my current job flatly refused to negotiate anything to try and keep me going that doesn't involve me moving so it's somewhat apparent what my value is to them... "Interchangeable cog" and I don't like that.

I have some things I need to nail down before I sign anything but it's looking like I'm going to start a new job soon enough and get a shiny new job title.

Well, sounds like you've thought it through. Good luck and hope everything works out!

Thanks, I've spent a ton of hours thinking this through. Part of my reasoning is that I am starting to lose social skills by being home alone all day working at a computer on my own and I worry it will definitely negatively affect me long term.

Also I called the Technical Institute and they offer the degree program through evening courses so I'm set.

You'll make it work for you. No sense in stressing out between two choices when neither of them is even "wrong". Might as well be excited about the new opportunity

That's what I've decided, it should be pretty bad ass actually as it sounds like they are willing and eager to spend money to get modernized and part of why they want me to start soon so bad is because I'm being hired based on my experience of design and implementation of newer equipment. Whereas at my current job I can't even get 10k out of them to get our backup system to not suck without a fight.

At my former employer, notifications most often weren't even sent. It was a huge compliance and security issue for a financial institution. Half the time, managers didn't even complete the appropriate paperwork and accounts stayed active for days or even weeks after an employee left. Very rarely, we'd get a notice from HR that said 'disable all of so-and-so's accounts immediately!'

Anyway, it always bugged me that they didn't even tell people when someone left so I sent an email myself prior to my departure. There are still folks in that office who think I work there.

By law, any patent you create as an employee of a company is owned by the company. I would assume that this is limited to things you do while at work. But given the US legal system I would not count on it.

Every patent I've done at a company, I was asked to sign a document that assigns the patent to the company. It doesn't appear to be automatic. I suppose if I ever refused to sign they would fire me and then sue me.

There have been cases (DSC/Alcatel vs Brown) where companies consider your non-work-related ideas their own. How far they get with that probably depends on any IP agreements one signs and how rabid their lawyers are.

If its not in your employment agreement and you don't assign the patent to them, I think the presumption is that the patent is yours although they would have a strong case to sue you for it if you invented it on work time or if you invented it in the course of your normal paid work. I think the law varies by state too on whether they can require you to sign or enforce an agreement about assigning them the rights to things you invent on your own time.

As I posted after my first post on this, I believe that patents are, indeed, owned by the inventors until the assign it to their employer. Copyrights, however, automatically go to your employer.

As I posted after my first post on this, I believe that patents are, indeed, owned by the inventors until the assign it to their employer. Copyrights, however, automatically go to your employer.

This, too, depends on the terms of one's employment and where, when, and how the works were created. Specifically, there must be an explicit agreement that particular creations are "works for hire", in which the employee never holds copyright, because it is nominally a creation of the employer.